Entertainment

Summer Movie Reviews and Upcoming Release Dates

By Tony Beal

IN THEATERS

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”

Desperate for cash and work, Nicolas Cage takes a gig to appear at a millionaire fan’s birthday party, only to be pulled into something far more dangerous and bizarre. “Unbearable Weight” is like a movie pitch that you would hear on Twitter or Reddit. From the well-loved actor playing himself to its “Paddington 2” jokes, it’s a movie that could easily be a disaster in the making. However, there’s a sincere charm to the film, helped mainly by how our leading man commits so much to this caricature of himself and his chemistry with Pedro Pascal’s excited but dweebish fanboy. There’s also some surprisingly smart filmmaking here, particularly in its editing style that seems to change scene by scene based on the tone. It’s a nice example of a film that has fun but doesn’t make fun of its topic, even if it does stretch out that main joke.

“The Northman”

A prince of a once noble kingdom seeks vengeance on the man who killed his father and kidnapped his mother. There’s a sort of ticking clock that can’t be heard but is felt throughout “The Northman.” Each moment there’s the possibility of sudden chaos, terror and death for any of the characters. How the film plays with your expectations of something grandiose, only for it to be more simplistic and grounded, also really plays into the tense nature of the film. It’s delicious, watching Amleth plot every move against Fjölnir and seeing the fear and hatred in his eyes. Meanwhile, every other character is working on their own and constantly on their feet; and the characters act in ways you wouldn’t expect for their archetype, particularly Claes Bang as the villain. There’s a terror to the film present from Robert Eggers’ previous films but it’s primarily about the brutality of revenge and a cruel world. You will be impressed by the balance of scale and intimacy of the film, but still feel a sense of horror from what you watched.

“Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness”

The master of the mystic arts returns to assist a mysterious girl who is being chased by an evil force. Despite being his first directorial feature in nearly ten years, it’s as if Sam Raimi never stopped. The cheerful terror and insanity of his many works can be seen here; from laughing devils, creative editing and camerawork, grotesque visuals, and so much more. It elevates the film from a very weak script, one that’s mostly guided by Benedict Cumberbatch’s quality performance as the titular character, but unfortunately leaves the other characters out. This film doesn’t leave much room for the viewer to figure things out for themselves and could have resulted in a worse movie in the hands of a different director. But there are some themes of happiness and responsibility present here that are thankfully explored, making Strange and Wanda Maximoff’s journeys feel fulfilling and even heartbreaking. I’ve been down on the MCU a lot lately, but “Multiverse Of Madness” is mostly a welcome change of pace.

“Watcher”

A woman who moves to Bucharest grows a fear of her neighbor who may or may not be a killer. Chloe Okuno is going to be a director to keep an eye on if her debut film “Watcher” is anything to go on. The gloomy, muted streets of Bucharest are often photographed as being populated with few or no extras, adding to the lonely and hunted feeling our lead is given. It’s dripping with fear and in the film’s scariest moments we feel like we are there looking over our shoulders. Our lead in question is played excellently by Maika Monroe, finally given a truly great role since her breakout in “It Follows.” The real standout though is Burn Gorman, who despite not being in it much, is terrifying and delivers one of the best monologues of the year. It takes a bit to get going, but those who stick around will be rewarded with one of the best thrillers of the year.

NEW RELEASES

June 3:

• “Crimes Of The Future” (Limited) • “Watcher” (Limited) • “Dashcam” (Limited) • “Fire Island” (Hulu)

June 8:

• “Hustle” (Netflix)

June 10:

• “Jurassic World: Dominion”

June 17:

• “Lightyear” • “Brian And Charles” • “Cha Cha Real Smooth” (Limited,

Apple TV+) • “Spiderhead” (Netflix) • “Good Luck To You, Leo Grande” (Hulu)

June 24:

• “Elvis” • “The Black Phone” • “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” (Limited) • “Flux Gourmet” (Limited)

July 1:

• “Minions: The Rise Of Gru” • “The Forgiven” (Limited)

July 8:

• “Thor: Love and Thunder”

July 15:

• “Where The Crawdads Sing” • “Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris” • “Bed Rest” • “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank” • “She Will” (Limited)

July 22:

• “Nope” • “The Gray Man” (Netflix)

July 28:

• “House Party” (HBO Max)

July 29:

• “Vengeance” • “DC League Of Super-Pets”

ACROSS

1. Mauritania’s neighbor 5. Arrest 8. Daughter of Zeus and Hera 12. Like fist of some rulers 13. Containing limestone 14. *”Misery” Oscar winner 15. Gulf War missile 16. Throat-clearing sound 17. Earp of the Wild West 18. *’58 Plymouth Fury in a Stephen King novel 20. Hole punchers 21. G in SAG 22. Lennon’s wife 23. Napoleon’s hat 26. Old tree description 30. Ryder Cup team 31. Forecastle, for short 34. Ruptured 35. Harangues 37. Tiny guitar 38. East side of Jersey 39. Brussels’ org. 40. Genie, alt. sp. 42. Soak through 43. Autumnal zodiac sign 45. Stomach sores 47. Basketball hoop 48. Down Under marsupial 50. Ginger-flavored cookie 52. *”It” clown 56. Nary a soul 57. Larger-than-life 58. Like some rumors 59. Smart _____, pl. 60. Pilaf grain 61. Close in proximity 62. *”The Green ____” 63. Don’t waste 64. Risqué

DOWN

1. Catchall abbr. 2. St. Louis tourist attraction 3. Displeasure on one’s face 4. Rainbow color 5. Root of nihilism 6. Set right 7. *”Stand ____ ____,” film based on “The Body” 8. *”Rita ____ and the Shawshank Redemption” 9. Bibliographical abbr. (2 words) 10. Risky business, pl. 11. “Is” in Paris 13. Hispanic American 14. Boss, in Swahili 19. Rides the waves 22. Buck 23. “Auld Lang Syne” poet 24. *”Children of the Corn” cult leader Chroner 25. Subsection of a poem 26. “Rhinestone Cowboy” singer 27. Kind of change 28. Mistake 29. Oceanic trenches 32. *Rabid Saint Bernard in Stephen King book 33. Mogul rider 36. *Nicholson in “The Shining” 38. Foolish 40. Not bright 41. Subtlety 44. Plumber’s concern, pl. 46. Crying like crow 48. Type of cap, pl. 49. Chilled (2 words) 50. Same as solos 51. Yuletide 52. Paddington Bear’s homeland 53. Beginning of a story? 54. Grand ____ 55. *Like a Stephen King story 56. “Platoon” setting

SOLUTION ON PAGE 23.

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SOLUTION ON PAGE 23.

Hello Summer! Let the adventures begin!

Why You Still Have Sciatica and Back Pain (And How To Get Rid Of It For Good)

By Leading USA Sciatica Expert, Dr. Tom Padilla

Do everyday activities like nding comfortable sleeping positions and walking feel impossible because of sciatica and back pain? You may nd it hard to focus on enjoying those around you because you’re distracted by your pain. You may have already tried “everything,” but the di culty is knowing which things will help and which won’t.

Some back pain and sciatica is caused by muscular weakness and restriction, while others can be caused by sti joints. Ultimately, certain exercises may help, but make other types worse. To best help you, I’ve compiled a list of tips that will help anyone regardless of the type to reduce daily pain.

Most people with sciatica and back pain just want to know if there’s a solution that actually lasts. Solutions that used to work, don’t work any longer. Eventually you nd yourself in a rabbit hole, searching high and low for solutions that hopefully help you avoid surgery.

You’ve likely already tried many di erent things. Usually the list includes massage, stretching, chiropractic, and di erent exercises.

One of my patients, Marian, had tried everything above on top of back surgery, unspecialized physical therapy, pain management, spinal injections, spinal electrostimulation, acupuncture, and dietary analysis.

Marian told me, “When you go through this, you learn how many things you can no longer do if you can’t stand or walk.”

You don’t have to choose between surgery and giving up the activities that you love.

Sciatica and back pain is so common because many of the solutions out there just take one area into consideration. e muscles, the joints, nerves, strength, weakness, etcetera. e simple truth is that these are complex conditions with many contributing factors. e core issue, which has been proven time and again in the best research, is that the body has

developed compensation patterns in order to

protect itself. ese patterns are hardwired into the brain and will continue to persist unless they are xed. is pattern is what CAUSES the tight muscles and the sti joints. ese tight muscles and sti joints eventually start to pinch on nerves, causing sciatica and back pain. erefore, correcting the pattern is the way to target the true root cause. No matter how long you’ve su ered, you can still get your life back.

No surgery. No pills.

6 Reasons Why Your Sciatica and Back Pain May Be Lasting Longer an It Should:

1. You tried looking up exercises to do on your own.

But with many “causes,” it’s di cult to gure out which exercises are right for you. is is why some exercises can seem to make it better, but some make it much worse. 2. You tried a few relaxing massages and it felt good for a few days but then it came back. 3. You tried chiropractic care and it eased a bit, but the nagging sensation is still there. 4. You tried waiting for it to go away on its own. at didn’t work… 5. You went to the doctor’s o ce, and they gave you pain meds or nerve medication to numb the pain. ey told you to come back in 6 weeks if it didn’t work. 6. You went to a physical therapist who put you on the same exercises everyone else with sciatica and back pain gets…then they left you with an assistant who only half watched your technique.

Why What You’ve Tried Hasn’t Worked

If any of these things have happened to you, unfortunately, it’s common. e issue with a lot of these methods is that they focus on addressing the symptoms, not the root cause.

What To Avoid

Here are 3 things that can make your sciatica and back pain worse. Stretching: If you’ve been stretching to x your pain and it hasn’t worked yet, it likely won’t. More often than not, sciatica and back pain has come up because of tight muscles. Stretching is for short muscles. Tight muscles are tight because they’re compensating for a weak muscle nearby. Stretching will relieve them for a little bit, but it will come back unless the weakness is resolved. Crossing Your Legs: Avoid crossing your legs at all costs. is can cause stretching in the back of your hip which compresses the sciatic nerve and puts pressure on your spine. It also causes twisting in your hips and pelvis which can put stress on the nerves in your back. Resting: Certain activities right now might make your sciatica and back pain worse, but that doesn’t mean you should restrict all of your movements. If certain things are painful, like walking, lifting, sitting, it’s important to nd the root cause so you can start moving properly and stay active.

How to Fix Sciatica and Back Pain for the Long Term

So many of the “solutions” we try only provide temporary relief because they’re not targeting the root cause. And without getting to the source of the problem, sciatica pain will continue to return because the cause was never addressed.

Marian learned this the hard way, and unfortunately, a lot of people do. After addressing the root cause, Marian says, “I’m back to walking 3-4 miles a day; I can lift and hold my grandbabies; I can go to parties without having to sit in a corner; I can go shopping again.” e only thing she’d change? Finding a specialist to help her address the root cause sooner. “I could have avoided a lot of doctors’ appointments and needless and expensive treatments, not to mention losing a couple of years to my other attempts.”

Tips and Exercises to Crush Sciatica and Back Pain for Good

Join the community back pain workshop on June 22nd at 6:30 p.m. for a free, fun, and interactive event to get back to picking up your kids or just standing and walking. Register for the popular event by calling or texting 480-4820651 and asking to reserve a seat, or emailing info@thedoctorsofpt.com with your phone number and “I want to come to the back pain workshop.” Or, if you’d like to meet with a specialist one on one for a personalized diagnosis and roadmap to healing, ask about scheduling a free discovery visit. e doctors believe in teaching you about your body and nding an approach that works best for you. rough getting to know your history, they’ll help you identify the approach that will target the root cause of your pain.